The dust kicking up as he walked, Daniel headed across the street to the jail. He tipped his hat to several ladies as he passed and waved to Roy who was already halfway to the sheriff’s office. And amidst the pleasantries, his mind whirled.
Something just wasn’t sitting right with him. Though Phillips was in custody, Daniel believed there was more to the story than what was being told.
What part did Mayor Rawlins play in all of this? Why had he been talking to Barnaby that night, and why would Phillips come to the jail knowing Barnaby was there? Wasn’t he the least bit concerned about Todd causing trouble?
It just didn’t make sense. And no, it wasn’t just his mind trying to think of a reason to stay in town. This was definite instinct. Something definitely wasn’t right here.
Well, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have another conversation with the mayor while he still had the chance. The reminder made him wince.
It was only a matter of time now before the captain would pull him away from Strawberry Junction. He couldn’t stay. His duty was to the Texas Rangers, and he’d sworn to uphold and protect the law within the state not just one particular town.
He’d been praying for the past few hours, searching for a solution. He didn’t want to leave, but there was no way the captain would allow him to remain in Strawberry Junction once the judge arrived and the trials were held.
Before this town…before Anna…he’d never wanted to stay in one town. He enjoyed traveling across the state, protecting the citizens, and sleeping underneath the stars more often than not.
Anna had changed everything. He didn’t just want to stay in Strawberry Junction. He wanted to stay with her. So what exactly was he planning on talking to her about anyway? He hadn’t actually been sure when he’d asked her if they could talk.
With the passage of two more ladies, he tipped his hat again, realizing his walk had slowed so much he was practically standing still.
“Ranger, you better git in here quick,” Roy shouted out the open door of the jail. “These fellas are bickerin’ so much I’m fixin’ to stuff some old socks in their mouths.”
Daniel picked up his pace. “What are they fighting about?”
“I ain’t sure. Cain’t make heads or tails out of it, but they do keep saying Mayor Rawlins’ name, though.” He stepped out onto the walk. “Sounds kind of personal, too, like they both know him. I mean, really know him.” Roy waggled his eyebrows.
A sense of unease slithered down Daniel’s spine. Those instincts of his were buzzing. He swept past Roy and strode into the office.
“Back so soon, Ranger?” Phillips draped his hands outside his cell.
“How do you know Rawlins?”
Phillips blinked back at him with a blank expression on his face. “What makes you think I know him?”
“You might as well quit playin’ stupid…unless you ain’t playin’.” Todd spat outside his cell.
“You best count yourself lucky I can’t get to you, boy.”
“I’m shakin’ in my boots.”
Ignoring the arguing, Daniel strode toward his desk. A quick search proved his instincts to be correct.
The map was gone. And more than likely with the good mayor.
“Did you have a visitor you didn’t tell me about, Todd? Someone like, say, Mayor Rawlins?” He straightened and glared at the young man.
Todd lifted one shoulder and scratched his head, the picture of innocence. “Well, now, I can’t rightly remember.”
Daniel wasn’t surprised. Both Barnaby and Phillips were out to protect themselves. They’d give him no information that might help the judge convict them.
“Well, he found something you’ve been looking for for a long time, Phillips.” Daniel slammed his desk drawer shut.
Phillips’ mouth fell open. “He’s got the map? He found the map?” The words came out on a squeak. “That low-down, two-timing, rotten scoundrel!”
“And if I were a betting man, I’d say Mayor Rawlins has used that map to his advantage and is, more than likely, no longer within sniffing distance of Strawberry Junction.” Daniel whirled around and almost collided with Roy.
“Whoa, there, Ranger. What’s the rush?” Roy scooted his hat to the back of his head and peered at Daniel over the rim of his coffee cup. “I just figured you’d calm these fellas down. There ain’t no need to get all worked up about it, though. They’ll get quiet enough once the judge gets here.” He favored both men with a cheesy grin.
“Roy, I need you to get some men together.”
With a mutter, Roy drained the last of his coffee and thumped the cup down on top of the desk. “What for?”
“We’ve got a man to catch. Just tell them to meet me out front in fifteen minutes.”
Roy’s breath escaped his lungs on a loud huff of air. “Well, all right, but if this has somethin’ to do with that boy in there, I’d think again. Kid ain’t nothin’ but trouble.” He tromped out the door, jingling the change in his pocket.
Yeah, he’d already discovered that. Still didn’t change facts. He had to find the mayor, and he could only pray the judge would arrive soon as well. The way things were going, he was going to run out of jail cells soon.
****
Anna saw Daniel saddling Sonny and hurried across the street to intercept him. “Where are you going?”
He tightened the cinch and moved around to the stallion’s side. “After Mayor Rawlins.”
“Mayor Rawlins? What are you talking about? If you want to see the mayor, why don’t you just go to his house? He’s probably not in his office on a Sunday.” She followed him, her heartbeat doubling its beat. Her body reacted to the intensity in Daniel’s voice, and she shared the underlying urgency.
Daniel slung a coil of rope over the saddlehorn before pausing to look at her. “He took the map, Anna.”
“And you think he’s left town with it? That wouldn’t do him any good. The money’s in Strawberry Junction.”
“I doubt that’s the case now. He played the game very well, and right now, he’s thinking he’s won. But his happiness isn’t going to last for long.”
“Ranger! Ranger!” The voice came from inside the jail.
Daniel’s head lifted, his gaze focusing on the door that stood slightly ajar. “Barnaby. What does he want?” To answer his own question, he patted Sonny on the right flank and sprinted toward the office.
Anna followed him at a fast walk. A few steps inside the office, she stopped even though Todd Barnaby invited her in.
“You might as well hear this, too, Mrs. Hampton. Reckon I owe you this much.”
“Keep your mouth shut, kid. All you’re gonna do is give them the rope to hang you.” Phillips spat out each word, his hands gripping the bars of his cell in a white-knuckled grasp.
“Quieten down, Phillips,” Daniel instructed, approaching Barnaby’s cell. “Whatever you’ve got to say, let’s make it quick. I’m sure Mayor Rawlins is looking forward to seeing me.”
“Yeah, well, you might not want to find him. The guy is crazy. Oh, he comes off like he’s so smart and all, but, really, he’s crazier than a rabid raccoon.” Warming to his subject, Barnaby relaxed against the cell bars. “You wanted to know how I know the mayor, but, the way I see it, you want to know how I know this bum next to me, too.”
Anna did walk forward then, her curiosity more than piqued. What did Barnaby and Phillips have in common? How did they know each other…and Mayor Rawlins? Her stomach twisted with the possibilities.
“I want to know,” she whispered. She felt Daniel’s eyes on her face, but she couldn’t look at him. Todd Barnaby had her full attention.
“Figured you might.” Barnaby sniffed and ran a hand through his hair. “You see, the mayor knew you was comin’, Ranger. Just as he knew good ole Phillips here was gettin’ out of prison.”
“You’re lyin’!” Phillips snarled. “He didn’t know I was comin’ until I got here.”
“Yeah? Then how come he hired me before you even got out of prison? He knew all about the Ranger and what he done to my daddy. The mayor figured I’d be a good way to keep the Ranger here busy while you went about findin’ that map that the sheriff hid so good.”
“So what made you decide to tell me all of this now, Barnaby?” Suspicion laced Daniel’s tone.
The young man lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “Maybe I’m looking for absolution.”
“That’s between you and God,” Daniel returned, edging closer until his shoulder bumped Anna’s.
“Well, I’ve seen you prayin’ and stuff. Figured it couldn’t hurt to have a God-fearin’ man like you do some prayin’ for me.” With another sniff, Barnaby continued his tale. “Anyway, Rawlins tole me all about the Widow Hampton here, said she had two kids. He said to leave the little girl alone ‘cause he had daughters of his own, but if something happened to the boy, well, that would take all of your attention.” A slow smirk spread across the boy’s face. “And I reckon he was right, wasn’t he?”
Anna swayed on her feet. Sam’s kidnapping had been staged? The thought sickened her, but more than that, it drove her to an anger she’d never felt before. Before common sense could intervene, she rushed forward, managing to catch hold of Todd Barnaby’s shirt sleeve before he could back away.
“You knew Sam was my son! He was just a pawn, wasn’t he? How could you? He’s just a boy!” Swallowing the cold lump in her throat, she dug her fingers into the coarse fabric of his shirt. “Tell me!”
“Anna,” Daniel’s hands settled on her shoulders. “Let me take you outside.” His voice was soft, encouraging, but Anna couldn’t move.
“No. Not until he tells me! I want to know! I need to know!” The words faded into sobs, and Anna sank against Daniel’s chest.
Daniel soothed her with whispered sounds and soft-spoken words as he guided her out the door and into the sunlight. “I’m going to take you back to the boarding house so you can rest.”
Anna broke free from his embrace. “No! I want to know, Daniel. I have to know.”
“Anything else Barnaby has to say isn’t going to make what he did any better. Sam is safe and sound. That’s the most important thing.” He pressed his palm against her cheek.
Swiping at the tears streaming down her face, Anna shook her head. “No. The most important thing at this moment is to find Rawlins. I want him to pay for this, Daniel.”
He watched her for a long second before replying. “Anna, I know you’re hurting right now, and I don’t blame you. It’s only natural to want revenge, but it’s not going to change how you feel inside. That’s something only God can take away.”
Her heart cried out to God before Daniel had finished speaking. Hadn’t she just last night prayed so fervently for forgiveness, for help, for grace? She’d felt His presence then, but now, it seemed elusive.
“I can’t feel Him, Daniel.”
He took hold of her shoulders. “He’s there. He’s always there, Anna. Just talk to Him. He never gives us more than we can handle.”
Anna blinked up at him, and through a watery film, she saw the concern on his face, the reflection of her own pain. At that moment, her heart opened and accepted her love for him without reservation.
She lowered her head before her eyes could reveal her feelings. “Promise me you’ll catch the mayor, Daniel. Please.”
He released her shoulders and used two fingers to tip her chin upwards. “That’s a promise. Now, come on. Let me walk you back to the boarding house.”
“No. I’m okay.” She smiled to reassure him. “It’s more important that you go while there’s still plenty of daylight.”
“Ranger, I got those men ready!” Roy Eckers hollered in a squeaky voice.
Daniel raised one hand. “I’ll be right there.” He hadn’t taken his eyes off Anna’s face. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”
This time the smile came easier. “Yes. Just go.”
He stepped back, reconsidered, and leaned forward to press a quick kiss against her lips. “When I get back, you and I are going to have ourselves a long conversation, Anna Hampton.”
A nod was the only response she could manage. Standing there, in the middle of the street, she watched Daniel and several townsmen ride off.
“Please, God. Keep them safe. Bring them home to their families…and Daniel back to me.”
****
Daniel rode out of town with three of the town’s citizens on either side of him. He tried not to look back, but there was no use. He had to see her again.
As a lawman, he understood the dangers of his work, that every time he left anyone he cared about, he might never see them again. All he could do was pray that God would bring him back safely.
“Hey, what’s going on up ahead?”
The gruff question interrupted Daniel’s thoughts. He looked up to see a trio of men approaching, and even if the sun hadn’t glinted off the tin stars on their vests, he would have recognized them.
Reining Sonny in, Daniel waited for the men to draw closer. “Well, it’s about time you fellas got here.”
“If you was a better Ranger, you wouldn’t have needed help.” The sarcastic response came from the tallest of the men. Long and lanky, Hub Martin had been serving with the Texas Rangers longer than Daniel had.
He swept his hat off his head and dusted it against his leg. “Y’all heading out to look for anyone in particular?”
The change in Hub’s voice alerted Daniel to news. “Why? You know something?”
One bony shoulder lifted in a shrug. “Could be. We found a man a couple miles up the road. Been snakebit. We couldn’t do anything for him ‘cept bury him.”
“What did this fella look like?” Daniel hated the thought of Mayor Rawlins having died in such a manner, but the man, if he was the snake’s victim, had chosen his path.
“Short. Stout. Little bit of hair and dressed up like he was going to a funeral,” Hub replied, clamping his hat back on his head. “Know him?”
“Sounds like Mayor Rawlins. We were going to look for him.”
Hub reached behind him and procured a bulky gray bag. “You might be interested in what the poor fella had with him. Whole bag full of money. I didn’t take the time to count it, but there’s enough here to make me think it’s bank loot…unless that fella was the wealthiest man in these parts.”
Daniel shook his head and nudged Sonny forward. “No, he wasn’t wealthy.” He reached out and took the bag from Hub’s hand.
“Wasn’t lucky, either.” A voice behind Hub inserted the comment in a laconic drawl.
Daniel looked over at the man seated atop the chestnut mare and inclined his head in acknowledgment. As much as he tried to hide it, he never could get to liking Beck Williams. Maybe it was because the man was such a hardcore lawman. He didn’t give anyone the chance to be not guilty.
“Looks like we can head on back to our unit then,” Beck continued. “Since there’s no reason for us to hang around here.”
Hub held up one hand. “I’ll make that decision.” He shifted in the saddle and leaned forward, lowering his voice as he did so. “This man we found, is he the sheriff’s killer?”
“No. That man’s sitting in a jail cell back in town. The way I understand it, the mayor was behind a lot of criminal activities in town. I don’t know if we’ll ever know the full extent of his crimes, though.” Daniel’s gaze shifted to the road ahead. “It probably doesn’t matter now.”
“You know the captain is going to expect you back once I give him my report.” Hub made the statement sound like a warning.
“I’ve got to wait for the judge. There are two men awaiting trial. So I’ll have to stay…at least for a while.”
Hub shook his head. “The captain won’t see it that way. Any one of those men traveling with you could be deputized, allowing you to head back to where you belong.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Is there a reason why I should wait a day or so before giving him my report, maybe take the long way back to Corpus Christi?”
Daniel smiled. Hub had always been good at figuring things out even when he didn’t have all the information. And Daniel had always thought that was what made the man a good Ranger. He saw things others didn’t and could read a person better than anyone he’d ever met.
“Well, if you don’t think the other two will have a problem with your taking the scenic route back to Corpus, I would be obliged to you.”
Hub whistled low. “I know you’ve got a good reason for wanting to stay behind, and I hope I’ll get to meet her one day.” His eyes burned the next statement into Daniel’s brain. “But there ain’t no easy way to say goodbye, Daniel. Sometimes, you just gotta let go.”
“Anyone ever told you that you could earn a living in one of those hospitals for lunatics, Hub?” Daniel tried to lighten the mood and take the focus away from the inevitable. “I mean, you seem to think you have a handle on how people think and all. You could probably figure just about anyone out.”
Hub held up one hand. “Fine. Suit yourself. I’m just sayin’ that waitin’ ain’t gonna make it easier. In fact, it just might make it harder…especially on the woman you’re leavin’ behind.”
And what if I don’t leave her? Daniel kept the question to himself, but it reverberated throughout his brain on the short ride back to Strawberry Junction.
Was he really thinking about staying in Strawberry Junction, leaving the Rangers and the only life he’d ever really known? Could he give up being a part of such a strong heritage?
As Sonny’s hooves hit the dust on the street leading into town, Daniel searched ahead for any sign of Anna, but she was nowhere to be seen. A part of him was relieved. After the questions rattling around in his brain, he wasn’t so sure he was ready to see her yet.
Maybe it would be good to have some time to reflect on what he was going to do next.